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Black Myth Wukong

Wukong’s Journey: How ‘Black Myth’ Puts Shanxi on the Map

Shanxi Tourism Soars with Black Myth Wukong

A Viral Game Brings New Life to Shanxi’s Tourism Industry
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Based on a report from ChinaVenture News, Shanxi province is experiencing an unexpected tourism boom thanks to the first domestic AAA game, Black Myth: Wukong (hereafter referred to as Black Myth). Launched on August 20th, this action role-playing game quickly won the hearts of global gamers with its stunning visuals, rich content, and outstanding action design.

Drawing heavily from Chinese mythology, Black Myth uses real-world Chinese architecture for its art design and scene construction. Notably, the game features 36 real locations across China, with a staggering 27 sites located in Shanxi, including the Yungang Grottoes, the Hanging Temple, and the Shanhua Temple.

This approach has allowed players to deeply experience the unique charm of Shanxi’s ancient architecture in a virtual world, sparking curiosity and interest in these real-life sites.

According to recent data, on the day of Black Myth‘s release, tourism interest in Shanxi spiked by 156% compared to the previous day. Furthermore, searches for Shanxi on Qunar increased 1.2 times in August compared to July, with the Yungang Grottoes, Wutai Mountain, Pingyao Ancient City, and Yingxian Wooden Pagoda among the top ten most popular sites.

In response to this surge, Shanxi’s Culture and Tourism Department has actively promoted the region’s tourism resources through campaigns like the “Travel Shanxi with Wukong” video series.

Netizens have also suggested initiatives such as setting up checkpoints at filming locations, creating customized travel routes, producing “pilgrim passes” with Journey to the West-themed merchandise, and offering multilingual guides to attract more tourists, especially from overseas.

Shanxi, with its rich historical and cultural heritage and breathtaking natural scenery, has long captivated the world’s attention. However, its tourism industry has often lagged behind other popular provinces. Now, with Wukong’s sudden rise to fame, all eyes are on whether Shanxi can capitalize on this opportunity to revitalize its cultural tourism industry.

A Long-Term Collaboration with Black Myth

The seeds for this success were planted four years ago.

In 2020, Black Myth released its first trailer, captivating audiences with its stunning visual effects and detailed recreation of Chinese ancient architecture. Since then, many have begun exploring the real-world locations featured in the game.

As the primary filming location, Shanxi has been actively planning to seize this unique cultural traffic opportunity. According to an interview with Shanxi’s Culture and Tourism Department officials by China National Radio, Shanxi began discussions with the game’s creators four years ago to promote Shanxi’s traditional culture and historical architecture through the game. This marked the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship between the virtual and real worlds, between gaming and cultural tourism.

On July 1, 2022, the Shanxi Culture and Tourism Department’s official Bilibili account released its first video related to Black Myth, comparing in-game scenes with real-life locations at Shuanglin Temple and showcasing the temple’s Buddhist statues.

Since then, Shanxi’s cultural tourism has continued to engage with the game, releasing two more videos introducing ancient buildings related to Black Myth within a year, generating a significant flow of interest toward Shanxi.

As the game’s release date approached, Shanxi’s cultural tourism promotion ramped up significantly. Since the beginning of this year, the official Bilibili account of Shanxi’s Culture and Tourism Department has released eight videos related to Black Myth, covering joint promotional activities and previews of tourism routes.

On the day of the game’s release, the official Shanxi tourism account released a video combining in-game footage with introductions to local tourist sites. As of now, the video has over 203,000 views and 32,000 likes.

With the release of Black Myth: Wukong and the growing buzz among players, tourism searches for Shanxi on OTA platforms have increased significantly. According to data from Tongcheng Travel, as of 4 p.m. on August 20th, tourism searches for Shanxi were up 17% compared to the same time the previous day, with searches for Shuozhou up 91% and Jincheng up 63%. This growth is expected to quickly translate into actual visitor numbers and economic benefits in the short term.

With the release of Black Myth: Wukong and the growing buzz among players, tourism searches for Shanxi on OTA platforms have increased significantly. According to data from Tongcheng Travel, as of 4 p.m. on August 20th, tourism searches for Shanxi were up 17% compared to the same time the previous day, with searches for Shuozhou up 91% and Jincheng up 63%. This growth is expected to quickly translate into actual visitor numbers and economic benefits in the short term.

Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Times Weekly that as the game’s influence continues to spread, Shanxi’s brand image as a tourist destination will be elevated to an unprecedented level. This will not only attract domestic and international tourists but also bring direct revenue growth to Shanxi’s hotels, restaurants, transportation, and other tourism-related sectors.

Wang further emphasized that this brand influence will have long-term positive effects on Shanxi’s cultural tourism industry, driving comprehensive local economic development.

Transportation Challenges Remain

“Look at Shanxi for above-ground cultural relics,” is a saying that underscores Shanxi’s status as a major cultural relic province. However, many of Shanxi’s ancient buildings have long remained hidden treasures. It wasn’t until the advent of Black Myth: Wukong in 2020, with its exquisite graphics and rich cultural context, that these ancient buildings began to receive widespread attention.

In August 2023, Black Myth: Wukong held a large-scale trial event, leading to a wave of “pilgrimages” to Shanxi. Many players and tourists traveled to Shanxi to explore the real-world locations featured in the game, capturing their discoveries on camera.

Bilibili content creator “Xu Gong Reads Cities” (hereafter referred to as “Xu Gong”) also embarked on a journey closely tied to Black Myth filming locations during this time.

Xu Gong said that since November last year, he has traveled through Chongqing, Sichuan, Gansu, Hebei, and Shanxi, releasing 30 pilgrimage videos, 22 of which are related to Shanxi. Over these months, he has deepened his understanding and interest in Chinese ancient architecture and gained insight into the challenges facing Shanxi’s cultural tourism.

A study on the development challenges of Shanxi’s tourism industry also highlights that although Shanxi has abundant tourism resources, many of its cultural heritage sites are located in remote areas, such as the Yungang Grottoes, Wutai Mountain, and the Hanging Temple. Despite the richness of these resources, their small scale and scattered distribution necessitate improved transportation and infrastructure to enhance accessibility.

On August 22, 2024, the Digital Cultural Tourism Brand Innovation Conference was held in Taiyuan, where Shanxi’s Culture and Tourism Department released the “Travel Shanxi with Wukong” themed route, featuring three distinctive travel itineraries: the Jinbei Route, the Jinnan Route, and the Jin Dongnan Route.

However, transportation issues were once again highlighted. Some netizens have stated that while they’ve already made travel plans, they are still concerned about transportation and are calling for the introduction of dedicated travel routes.

Song Xiangqing, Deputy Director of the Institute of Government Management at Beijing Normal University and Director of the Center for Industrial Economics Research, also noted in an interview that apart from the more established “Five Great Pings”—Wutai Mountain in Xinzhou, Yungang Grottoes in Datong, Pingyao Ancient City in Jinzhong, and the Qiao Family Courtyard—the rest of Shanxi’s tourist routes are relatively scattered. Despite having over 500 nationally protected cultural heritage sites, only a third have been converted into tourist attractions based on ticketing management standards.

It is clear that after finally seizing its moment in the spotlight, transportation remains a key issue for Shanxi to address.

The Black Myth craze has been ongoing since the game’s release four days ago. Whether Shanxi can harness this cultural phenomenon’s momentum and turn it into lasting growth for its local tourism industry will be tested by the upcoming Golden Week holiday.

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